I'm going to take her to the vet as soon as I can get an appointment. Probably not until tomorrow. My question is, is it okay to start her on Bactrim now as a precaution? Will Bactrim harm her if it's not a URI? She weights 2lbs 3oz... so I would have to do some math here for the dose.

She's got some eye crust, and isn't interested in doing much. Those are the signs she's showing.

I know I've started a few threads recently, but the last was about Sanford so I didn't know if I should keep it on the same thread since it was a different pig. I'm sorry Lynx, I do know the rules - I just didn't think.

She's still lethargic and grumpy. I never know if this stuff is an actual emergency or if I should wait a day to see our regular vet who I know and trust - I guess that's the dilemma. Go to the ER where who knows what they know or wait and hope it's okay.

I see and understand Lynx' point. It's a good one; any AB will screw up any culture and sensitivity that may be required.

If she's got eye crust and lethargy, though, she's 'already' been sick for a while, most likely, which you would not have known. I would start her on Bactrim if she were my pig.

If you have an ER vet you trust and like, I'd go to him or her before starting AB. If you don't, I don't think I'd wait until tomorrow to start giving her something, even if the microbe isn't responsive to it. It will still protect her from secondary infections and/or other opportunistic bacteria. It won't hurt her if she doesn't have a URI, either, at least not one or two doses.

I went to the ER vet last night. But what I went in for was not what I came out with.

She said that her lungs were clear, but she noticed the eye goops and if she is lethargic, it's possible she's in the early stages of URI. She had a bit of a fever too (103). She said to start her on the Bactrim just in case, but again, clear lungs.

Then she said that while she was doing a general exam, she noticed a hard mass right around her nipple. I had never noticed this, mostly because I wouldn't check for it. When she showed me, it felt obvious. Henry's right nipple has some sort of mass under it, while her right does not. She thinks it might be a tumor, which will hopefully be benign.

We are going to our regular vet today at 5:40.

I guess I'm confused. Could she not have a URI at all? Could this lump make her have a fever and not feel well? But a lump can't cause eye crust though. I don't know. Hope to find out more later.

So it looks like we need to have the mammary tumor removed. She's set up for next Tuesday. The vet said they're usually benign so I'm hoping for the best.

She also said the lungs looked clear. The lethargy and fever could be caused by URI - since there is some eye goop, it could be the early stages, or it could be caused by having an unwanted thing in her body - the lump. She's keeping her on Bactrim and a bit of Metacam in case of discomfort from the lump.

Henry's eating her veggies, but I'm not sure if she's gobbling pellets as much. I see her in her hayloft, but again, it's hard to tell is she's faking. So I'm giving critical care too. She is still eating so I don't want to give her the full 50ccs. I'm going to give her enough that I see the normal amount of poops.

Yeah, the vet seemed to think it would be okay, it's not invasive like a spay, etc.

I'm just still confused as to why the fever is there and why the eye goop. If her lungs are clear, that's good, but she's not acting herself. I don't know if there really is a URI or if this lump is making her grumpy. We're pretty sure the lump isn't related to eye goop, but why the eye goop?

Both, but her right seems worse. Goop is less today. But this evening we have blood in the urine. Not sure how this is related, if at all. And I'm also wondering why this would start AFTER she's been on the Bactrim (if it is a UTI). I put a call in to the vet, so we'll see if she calls back. Either she's not good at calling back or reception isn't good at giving messages.

Both the ER vet, and two vets at my normal place confirmed mammary tumor. I wonder if it's not that at all but something else causing bleeding? Like pyometra? Or some other type of tumor that would cause bleeding? I do think it's odd that the Bactrim would be started and then bleeding would start if it were only a UTI. I'm concerned. I hope the vet calls.

Going back to the vet tonight for an xray and urinalysis. This will tell us if it's an infection or a stone. If it is a UTI it might be resistant to Bactrim, which - she said - would be odd. If it's a stone, we'll remove it. If it's none of the above, she said we might have to spay Henry because it might be a reproductive thing. She said if it were pyometra, Henry would be in shock by now so it's probably not that.

On a side note -- am I the only one who has had Big Issues with multiple pigs? I can understand making a medical post here and there about minor things or even a big post about a big thing for one pig. But I had bad luck with Piggie Crocket and now this. Is this common? It doesn't seem like my vet has seen many pigs with as many problems as mine. It makes me feel like *I'm* the problem here, even though I know that I'm not. It just always seems to be something. Unless I only notice because it's me. :)